~Cabochons~ a blog hop

Cabochons!

I have a love-hate relationship with them!

I LOVE how they look but they really intimidate me sometimes.  I LOVE the end result but get very frustrated at times making them.
So I signed up for Sally Russick's Cabochon Challenge to help me overcome some of the fears.

Since I became serious about making jewelry & metalsmithing I have made cabochons from a variety of objects.  Being from the Bahamas and having many beaches in my backyard, sea glass is a natural draw.

Old pottery shards make great cabs as well.

Maybe these objects are not technically *cabs*, since they are not round in shape....the process is still the same, perhaps even more of a challenge with an irregular shaped item.

As I have become better at my lamp working skills over the last few years I have also been making glass cabs at the torch.

I love the process of making everything from start to finish and the fact that even the glass cabochon is my piece!  The scalloped bezel wire makes such a fun accent to any piece also.

I can't seem to get away from the beachy color scheme!

Please be sure to go and check out the blogs of others that participated in the Cabochon Challenge!  Thank you so much to the host, Sally, for organizing this challenge & blog hop!

D Lynne  Bowland
Alicia Marinache           
Lynn  Jobber           

Jenny Davies-Reazor           

 

Jo-Ann  Woolverton           

Marde Lowe           
Dawn Doucette           
Mary K McGraw           
Gloria Allen           

Cheri  Reed           
Sonya Stille           
Elizabeth Owens Dwy           
Veralynne   Malone           
Tania Hagen           
Lynsey  Brooks           
Christina Miles           
Holly  Westfall           
Kathy  Lindemer           
Patti Vanderbloemen           

Therese Frank           
Adrienne Berry           
Liz   E  
Tanty  Sri Hartanti           
Ginger Bishop
Renetha Stanziano           
Marlene  Cupo           
Sandi Volpe           
Sharyl McMillian-Nelson           
Niky  Sayers

Mischelle Fanucchi           
Tracy  Stillman           
Skylar Bre'z           
Ann Schroeder           
Paula Kramer
Jess Green           
Susan Kennedy           
Stacie  Florer           
Cathie  Carroll           
Susan F.   

Michelle Caballero       
Sabine Dittrich           
Kristina Johansson           
Kimberly Sturrup-Roberts           
Melissa  Meman           
Cheryl McCloud         
Michelle  Timms           
Cindy  Pack           
Ailsa  Cordner           
Lynda  Carson

Cynthia  Machata           
Julia  Harris           
Karin  Slaton
Ingrid  Anderson           
Karin Grosset Grange
Jasvanti Patel  
Inge  von Roos
Molly Alexander

Toltec Jewels  

Fall Prepping

I get really excited about fall, even though we don't get a drastic change of season or changing leaves in the Bahamas.  I L.O.V.E. Halloween, pumpkin carving, Thanksgiving and all of these lead up to Christmas.

This fall I have signed up for an art show the week before Thanksgiving called Jollification.  I did Jollification for many, many years then took a few years off.

I am already getting stock made for the show, as well as trying out some new things.

Here is one new item, leather cuffs made from recycled belts and bags.

The one on the left I used the original buckle from the belt, on the other I added a snap.

  

This one above has *BLOOM* etched on copper and then riveted onto the cuff.

For the flower cuff I made the flower from sheet metal, forged and soldered it, then added the blue glass gem to the middle.

I love to decorate for Fall and Halloween so I have started a few projects just for me.

One is the hexagon table runner below.

I have some more hexes to prep before I can sew it all together.  Hoping to finish this tomorrow, when I need to take a break from *real* work.

How are you getting ready for Fall?